Stretching from the frigid Arctic waters to the rugged southeast coast of Newfoundland, Iceberg Alley is one of the best places on Earth to witness the awe-inspiring sight of icebergs drifting by – sometimes right from the comfort of your kitchen window while preparing a traditional Newfoundland dish like Jiggs’ dinner.

If you happen to live near Iceberg Alley, you'll never run out of icy giants to admire. Each spring, as the sea ice melts and gives way to open water, the icebergs reveal their full splendor. Some shimmer like polished glass, while others take on dramatic shapes that seem almost sculpted by an artist.

These majestic icebergs begin their journey far to the north – primarily from the glaciers of Greenland. Every year, as temperatures rise in the Arctic during spring and summer, massive chunks of ice calve off the edge of glaciers and begin a slow, mesmerizing voyage southward. Carried by powerful ocean currents, they drift through Baffin Bay, pass through the Davis Strait, and eventually reach the Labrador Sea, where they begin to melt.

While most of these floating giants originate in Greenland, a smaller number come from glaciers along Canada’s own Arctic coast. The journey south can take several months, and their final destination is often the waters surrounding Newfoundland and Labrador – the heart of Iceberg Alley.

Once in the Alley, icebergs ranging from small chunks to towering 150-foot behemoths float serenely past fishing villages and rocky shores. These ancient pieces of ice – estimated to be around 10,000 years old – have become a signature feature of Newfoundland’s coastal identity. It’s estimated that between 400 and 800 icebergs flow through Iceberg Alley every year.

Despite their massive appearance, only about 10% of an iceberg is visible above water, with the remaining 90% hidden beneath the surface. This makes them not only beautiful but also potentially hazardous. Their movement is influenced by a range of factors – including shape, mass, wind patterns, ocean currents, and wave activity. On average, they drift at around 0.4 miles per hour, though this can vary widely.

According to Atlas Obscura, there are six main types of icebergs, and Iceberg Alley hosts all of them:

1. Tabular – Wide, flat-topped icebergs resembling floating plateaus.

2. Blocky – Steep-sided and angular, often shaped like truncated pyramids.

3. Wedged – With one steep side and one sloping side.

4. Dome – Rounded tops, smooth and symmetrical.

5. Pinnacle – Featuring tall spires or peaks rising dramatically above the surface.

6. Dry Dock – U-shaped, often formed by erosion, creating a basin-like hollow.

While breathtaking, icebergs can be dangerously unpredictable, especially as they begin to melt. This is why navigating near them requires caution. Boaters and kayakers are advised to maintain a safe distance – at least the length of the iceberg (L) or twice its height (H), whichever is greater. Within this zone, there's a risk of falling ice, sudden rolling, or large waves triggered by iceberg collapse.

As they drift farther south, the icebergs encounter warmer waters and begin to melt at an increasing rate. In this final stage of their journey, they often become even more unstable and prone to sudden breakage – a reminder of the iceberg that notoriously struck and sank the Titanic off Newfoundland’s coast in 1912.

Today, large and medium-sized icebergs are closely monitored using satellites and radar, but smaller ones – known as “growlers” or “bergy bits” – often slip under the radar, posing a hidden threat to vessels.

One particular iceberg caught the world’s attention in 2017, when a massive 150-foot tower of ice drifted into a small Newfoundland community, dwarfing the town’s houses and church steeples. The surreal image became a viral sensation, capturing the imagination of people around the world.

The striking scene was even immortalized on a Canada Post stamp, shot by photographer Michael Winsor, and it continues to travel the globe on postcards – a lasting symbol of Newfoundland’s icy wonders.

Whether seen from the deck of a boat, the edge of a cliff, or your kitchen window, Iceberg Alley offers an unforgettable front-row seat to one of nature’s most powerful and graceful phenomena. With each iceberg carrying thousands of years of frozen history, a visit to this Canadian marvel is like stepping into a living, drifting museum of the Arctic.